Josh Hartnett has secured his next major role following the breakout success of Below. The actor will star opposite Elle Fanning in a highly anticipated biopic that is already drawing serious industry attention ahead of its international sales launch.
Moonsong: A Life In Seven Verses cast adds a lot of names
Rebecca Miller directs Moonsong: A Life In Seven Verses, a biopic about Margaret Wise Brown, the author behind beloved children’s classics. Elle Fanning takes the lead as Brown, while Josh Hartnett steps in as “Big Bill” Gaston, a socialite who becomes one of her passionate love affairs.
The production has assembled an amazing bench of talent. Emma Thompson, Sally Hawkins, Danny Huston, Robert Aramayo, and Chloe Pirrie all board the project. They join Julianne Moore, who plays the poet Michael Strange, a character whose mesmerizing yet destructive influence shapes Brown’s artistic journey. The story unfolds in 1930s New York. Brown discovers her gift for writing children’s stories and pioneers a sensory approach to children’s literature alongside a community of artists and educators. Her life swings between innocence and brazenness, stamped by love affairs and a fierce drive to protect her own creative voice.
Miller wrote the screenplay, adapting Leonard S. Marcus’s biography Margaret Wise Brown: Awakened by the Moon. She calls Brown a profoundly modern person. “She never lost her child-like view of the world, yet also became a phenomenon within her business, publishing over a hundred books,” Miller said. The director believes Fanning will make Brown “a totem for young people who are looking for a way to live without compromising the multiplicity of their true selves.”
Additionally, the creative team also brings heavy credentials. Jarin Blatchke, an Oscar nominee, handles cinematography. Oscar-winning special effects artist Neal Scanlan oversees creature effects and puppetry. Oscar nominee Malgosia Turzanska designs costumes, and Kim Jennings leads production design. Martin Scorsese executive produces. Round Films produces, with Damon Cardasis and Miller. Production reportedly begins in May 2027 (via Deadline).
